SLOW ADVANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25427, 7 January 1944, Page 3

SLOW ADVANCE

MARINES IN NEW BRITAIN STIFF ENEMY RESISTANCE (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 6. American marines are using tanks and artillery against strong Japanese resistance east of Cape Gloucester, in New Britain. Our troops are advancing slowly towards Borgen Bay, but are encountering increasing enemy activity. The Japanese counter-attack on Sunday, when the enemy was repulsed, leaving behind 200 dead, was followed by another strong counterattack early on Tuesday morning. This was repulsed, and the marines then took the initiative, driving forward with tank protection and under the cover of an artillery barrage. The Japanese employed field guns in an effort to stem the American advance, the extent of which has not been reported. At the two other Allied invasion beach-heads in the South-west Pacific area, Arawe, in Southern New Britain, and Saidor, in Northern New Guinea, the Americans are enlarging their holdings. Some eight miles south-east of Saidor the Australian forces continue to advance up the Huon Peninsula coast, at an average rate of four miles a day. They are closing in on Sio, the Japanese barge base 50 miles northwest' of Allied-held Finschhafen. The Japanese, who are making a disorderly retreat, are believed to be trying to evacuate some of their troops by sea. The enemy forces are caught between the Australians advancing up the peninsula and the Americans at Saidor. Pursuit of the broken remnants of the Japanese rearguard has developed largely into a mopping up operation. The enemy is discarding equipment and all superfluous weight, including much personal gear, in his flight. Japanese soldiers who have been unable to keep pace with the retreat have been left to die on the track. Wounded have also been left behind. Australian patrols, moving through the mountainous country inland, have wiped out numbers of Japanese found living on native foods and roots in the hills. Air actions over New Britain and New Guinea are reported in General MacArthur’s communique to-day. They cost- the Japanese 16 planes shot down, with five others probably destroyed. A Japanese cruiser off New Hanover Island has been damaged by a direct bomb hit, while two enemy cargo vessels of 2000 tons and 4000 tons respectively exploded and burst into flames when- attacked by Liberators and Mitchells at Koepang (Timor) on Tuesday. The main enemy air losses were again inflicted over Rabaul when Allied Solomons-based fighters shot down six Zeros, with five others probably destroyed, in a sweep over Rapopo aerodrome. Heavy units from the Solomons which bombed the harbour at Kavieng shot down three of 19 interceptors. Madang, 55 miles west of Saidor, and Alexishafen 12 miles north of Madang, have again been the main targets for South-west Pacific bombers. These aerial assaults to disrupt Japanese supplies are directly linked with the land operations in the adjacent areas.

The air actions reported in the latest South-west Pacific communique cost the Allies four planes.